Not Myself Sequel 3: World Beyond
by Saerry Snape
Summary: COMPLETE. Thirteen years after Memories, the Snape family lives on...
1. Despite Sorrow

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor anything otherwise related. I do, however, make claim on NM Harry's personality as well as those of all the other canon characters and my original chars.

_Despite sorrow and pain,_

_life moves on._

_Despite the heartache,_

_there is a world beyond._

_Beyond the death_

_of those we love,_

_there is life – for us._

_"Untitled" written by Hermione Malfoy upon the death of Harry Snape_

Chapter 1 – Despite Sorrow 

In a dark office lit only by a scarcely flickering fire in Ashdeir Fierion, a man bent over a stack of papers scattered across the surface of a claw-footed desk. He lifted a hand after a moment and rubbed at the right side of his face, yawning as he did so.

Glancing across the room at the illuminated face of the big grandfather clock, he blinked at the time.

He'd been working for five hours straight?

"Damn," he muttered, looking down at the paperwork he still had left. Barely half of the mass he had brought home for the weekend was finished, which meant he'd probably be working the entire time. And he had planned to spend a nice, quiet weekend with his wife and children.

Severus Jardin Snape sighed and ran both hands back through his black hair, which was now shot through with silver in places. He was sixty-two as of two weeks ago, old already in the Muggle world and just nearing the end of his prime in the one he'd been raised in. And despite the fact that he hadn't married until twelve years ago, he had three wonderful children and a wife he adored.

But despite all that he had, there was something missing. Two pieces of his heart that he had lost years before. The two pieces that made him…him.

His parents were missing from his life.

Severus sighed and looked up at the portrait displayed boldly over the fireplace. His nine-year-old self grinned at him from it with only his father's hand on his shoulder keeping him from bouncing up and down with ecstatic energy. Beside the two of them, his mother smiled serenely as she cradled a blanket-wrapped bundle that was his little sister Saerry at a year old in her arms.

It was the portrait of a perfect family. Or at least it was in his eyes. Certainly his parents had had arguments (he could well remember times when the walls of the manor had reverberated with his parents voices) but those had never lasted long. They had loved each other so much…

Two hands slid over his shoulders suddenly, and he jumped then leaned his head back to look up into his wife's worried face.

"Hello, beautiful," he murmured.

Janella Snape nee Kerensky frowned down at her husband then shifted her steel blue eyes to the paperwork scattered across his desk. She brushed a lock of her dark, blood red hair back behind her ear then asked, "Work?"

"New security measures for the Ministry," replied Severus, glaring balefully at the sheets. "All proposed by that snot-nosed brat that Seamus Finnegan calls a grandson."

"Now, now, Verus. You can't blame the boy for trying to do well."

Severus sighed. "He's making my job a bloody living nightmare, Nella. I have enough work here to last me a week at a slow pace – and half of it shouldn't really be mine. I'm just the Head of Security for the Auror's now, not the whole bloody Ministry."

"No, that's John's job now," said Janella, eying the paperwork with distaste as well. "I'll tell you what, you come to bed right now and tomorrow I'll help you sort out the things that can be shipped to that nephew of yours."

Severus smiled and scooped up his wife's hand, kissing each of her knuckles in turn.

"You are a marvelous woman, Nella."

The crimson-haired woman smirked and shot, "I know. Pretty good for a Muggle who can barely use the Floo, eh?"

"I would rather have you by my side than all the most powerful witches in the world," murmured Severus as he turned his chair so he could pull her down into his lap.

"Mmm. Flattery will get you everything, m'Lord Snape."

"I know, m'Lady Snape," said Severus with a smirk. "It got me laid."

Janella smacked his shoulder lightly then leaned back into his strong arms, remembering when she had first met the man she called her husband.

She had been working at a pub in London at the time, trying to keep her mind off her recent divorce with her schoolyard sweetheart. He had turned out to be a royal arse and after four years, she had finally had enough. So she had divorced him and had moved from their flat in Surrey to London, where she had bought a small flat just for herself and her cat Kit and had started to work at the pub two blocks from her place.

Of course, her now ex-husband had hunted her down and had stumbled into the pub with a week's worth of drink in him. She had tried to usher him out but he had slapped her, slurring that she was a no-good whore and couldn't tell him to do anything. At an attempt at retaliation, he made to slap her again and she cringed back.

But the second strike had never come. She had opened her eyes and stared in awe at the tall, broad-shouldered man standing between her and her ex, his hand clenched about the shorter man's wrist.

Her ex-husband had narrowed his eyes at the man and slurred, "Ge' out of me way, y'blaggard. Tha' 'ore needs a les'en."

"I am afraid it is _you_ who needs the lesson, sir," the man had replied, twisting her ex's arm down and behind his back. He then bent and hissed into his ear, "And if I ever – _ever_ – see you strike a woman again, I will personally make sure your hands are forever indisposed from further rash behaviors. Do we have an understanding?"

"Sure. Take tha' 'ore," slurred her ex, stumbling out of the pub as the man shoved him towards the door.

She remembered taking a breath in what had seemed forever then and grabbing up her rescuer's hand, clutching it tightly to her.

"Thank you for that. I'm frightened to think of what might have happened if you hadn't been here."

The man had turned to her then and she had found herself caught in his sea green eyes. He had smiled at her – a quaint, simple little smile that did not quite reach his eyes – and caught both her hands in his, pressing a kiss to the back of each.

"My pleasure, madam," he had murmured as he released her. She felt her heart jump then and had offered him a drink on the house for the rescue. He had accepted and the two of them had conversed on until the pub had closed, him perched artfully at the bar and she dashing back and forth behind it. Then he had walked her home, being ever the gentleman along the way. After an introduction to Kit, he had kissed her hand again and bid her good night before vanishing.

She had never thought she'd see him again after that.

But the next day he was back in the pub, sea green eyes catching hers over his mug. And he was there the next and the next and the next…

By the time December came, she had known everything about him. And had accepted it. It was then that he had asked her to marry him. Of course, she had accepted.

Now, here they were, nearly thirteen years later, sitting in what had been his father's study in the rebuilt ancestral home of his family. They had three wonderful children and, for the first time in her life, she was content.

Janella turned and kissed him then, entwining her fingers in his dark hair.

"You," she whispered as she leaned back to look at him, "are wonderful."

Severus smiled at her and murmured, "And you are beautiful. Though what prompted that kiss?"

"Oh…I was just remembering, my knight in shining armor."

He winced then and laughed, lines around his eyes crinkling.

"Ah, yes," he said, lifting her further into his lap. "You are my damsel in distress, are you not?"

"A damsel, perhaps. And my only distress is that we are still sitting here when our bed is upstairs."

"Then I, as your valiant knight, shall rescue you from your distress by whisking you upstairs and thoroughly ravaging you," said Severus, bending his head to gently bite her neck.

"Until I cannot breathe?" asked Janella, looping her arms about his neck.

Severus smiled and replied, "Until you cannot breathe."

"Then let us away, m'good knight."

"Aye, m'lady."

He swooped her up then and carried her upstairs to their bedroom, checking on the children as they went. Then they locked the door and made love before falling to sleep in each other's arms.


	2. Despite Heartache

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor anything otherwise related. I do, however, make claim on NM Harry's personality as well as those of all the other canon characters and my original chars.

_Despite sorrow and pain,_

_life moves on._

_Despite the heartache,_

_there is a world beyond._

_Beyond the death_

_of those we love,_

_there is life – for us._

_"Untitled" written by Hermione Malfoy upon the death of Harry Snape_

Chapter 2 – Despite Heartache 

"Mum, look! _Owls!_"

"I know, Mori," said Janella, tugging on her eldest son's hand. "But you already have an owl, remember?"

"Can I get a cat?" asked eleven-year-old Morgan Snape, his emerald eyes bright. "Please?"

"I wan' one too!" cried Ulric Snape, who was the youngest of the three Snape children at seven. Janella sighed and said, "No, Ric, this is for Morgan going to school. You can get a cat when you go to Hogwarts."

Ulric sniffed and looked around to cry then became entranced by the snitches dancing in the front window of the Quidditch shop across the way. Janella heaved a weary sigh then grabbed the hands of her two sons, wondering how on earth she had gotten stuck with the boys and Severus had gotten their daughter.

"Mum, Mum! Look what Dad bought me!"

Janella looked up to find her crimson-haired daughter flying towards her, a set of books clutched in her arms. They were a rather expensive looking set of Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_ (a special wizard edition that had moving paintings of selected scenes), and she frowned at her husband as he strolled up behind their daughter.

"That's nice, Ana," said Janella to her daughter Anastasia. She then looked at Severus and asked, "And how much did Dad pay for them?"

"Only ten Galleons, love," said Severus, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Barely more than a wand."

"So says you," she huffed. "Come along, Mori. We have to go get your books. I trust you have all of yours, Ana?"

"Yes'm," mumbled the twelve-year-old, clutching her books as though she thought they would be taken from her. Janella sighed and moved on, leaving Severus to snatch up their daughter and follow her. He caught up easily with his long legs and looped an arm about her waist to slow her down.

"It's only a few Galleon's, love," he said. "Nothing to worry about."

"And what if something happens to the bank or something?" she demanded, absently tugging a wandering Ulric towards her. "What then?"

Severus smiled and leaned close to her, murmuring, "That is why most of the family fortune lies in a vault underneath the manor, my love. We Snape's don't trust anyone else to look after our affairs."

"I know."

He just smiled again then look down at Morgan and said, "How about after we get those books of yours, we go find you a wand?"

Morgan's eyes lit up and he would have bounded out in front of them had his mother not had a good grip on his hand.

"Wand, wand, wand!" shouted Ulric. "Mummy, can I have a wand too?"

"Not till you start Hogwarts, hun," said Janella, smiling down at her youngest child. She then jumped as Severus' hand gripped her waist suddenly and looked up at him in surprise. "Verus?"

"Take the children and go home," growled Severus, his eyes focused further down the alley.

"What…" Janella's voice trailed off as she looked down the alley and saw Cadian Parkinson and his posse of goons heading in their direction. Cadian was the son of Pansy Parkinson (no one knew the identity of his father but a few of his features hinted at the Malfoy bloodline) and had been in the same year as Severus at Hogwarts. He was shorter and stood out brashly thanks to his stark blonde hair as well as his demeanor.

He had also been on the other side in the fifteen-year war he had lost most of his innocence in. Just a year ago, he'd been released.

She felt Severus' hand quiver and looked up at him to see rage in his eyes, which had darkened slightly in color. And she could fully understand why.

Cadian had been a fellow Slytherin and Severus had tried to be friendly with him. But he had obviously have been brought up to hate the Snape's by his mother and Severus had finally given up trying when Cadian had attempted to kill his owl. After that, they'd been at each other's throats and still were.

"Go," hissed Severus. "We'll bring Mori back later."

"Be careful," whispered Janella, gently touching his arm. Then she turned to their children and said, "C'mon, c'mon, let's go."

"But my _wand!_" cried Morgan.

"We'll come back and get it later, sweetheart."

"What about Dad?" asked Anastasia, looking back over her shoulder at her father, who was standing stock still in the middle of the alley.

Janella forced down her urge to look back herself (she'd never leave if she did so) and gathered Ulric up into her arms so she could move faster.

"He's got some things he has to do," she said, tugging a whining Morgan along behind her. "Now let's go home…"

---

"Afraid your kids'll catch something from me, Snape?" sneered Cadian as soon as he got within a few feet of Severus. A sneer twisted his lips as he added, "Or are you just trying to keep that Muggle wife of yours safe? She that good a romp in the sack?"

"I'd rather my children not learn about violence at such young ages," shot Severus back. He truly enjoyed the look of confusion on Cadian's face at that statement – he also truly enjoyed the feel of the man's cheek cracking against his knuckles. "And don't talk about my wife in that manner again."

Cadian was sent spinning to the ground by the blow and came up with his wand out, his other hand clenched over his bruised cheek.

"I ought to kill you right here," snarled the blonde.

Severus smirked and spread his arms wide, indicating the crowded alley about them. A few people glanced at them as he did this and his smirk widened.

"Go ahead," he said. "But don't say I didn't warn you when the Aurors take you in."

Cadian's face purpled with rage and his wand tip glowed with the force of a spell. Then his wand was jerked out of his hand and flew to land in the hand of Damian Malfoy.

The Malfoy heir strode forward out of the crowd, brown eyes flashing angrily and white-blonde hair curling wildly in the day's heat.

"Parkinson," he hissed, twisting the other man's wand in his left hand. "You do recall that it is illegal to draw a wand in anything but the stories in Diagon Alley, don't you?"

Cadian just glared venom at Damian and pointed at Severus, spitting, "He forced me!"

Brown eyes turned to take in Severus, who smirked in response, eyes dancing with vague amusement. The two of them had known each other since they'd been born but were very rarely seen in public together as they preferred to spend time at Ashdeir Fierion or the Downs (as the Malfoy Manor was called) messing with their old MechWarrior miniature's.

"Lord Snape," said Damian cordially with a twinkle in his dark eyes. "What have you to say on this matter?"

"I was shopping with my family. Mister Parkinson here interrupted." Severus smirked then and lifted his left arm, rolling up his sleeve to reveal the dueling sheath on his forearm that housed his wand. "And my wand, as you can see, has never left this spot."

"I see." Damian turned on a heel and jabbed a finger at a woman in the crowd. "You! Madam…please, do tell me – in your own words – what happened."

"Just what you said when you came up," said the woman. She pointed at Cadian and continued, "He pulled his wand on the Lord. 'Course the Lord punched him first…"

Damian arched a silvery eyebrow at Severus, who shrugged, saying, "He provoked me. I punched him."

"Sev," hissed Damian in _sotto voice_. "We aren't in Hogwarts or in the war anymore. You can't just go around punching people."

"It's _Parkinson_," hissed Severus back. Then his green eyes darkened and he growled, "And he threatened Nella."

The Malfoy's brown eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in an 'o' of surprise. Across from him the Snape just arched a dark eyebrow, his head tilted slightly to the side.

Anyone who knew Severus well knew how protective he was of his wife. He wasn't protective simply because she was a Muggle but also because of how his mother had died. And he knew very well that if the same thing happened to him as happened to his father, he wouldn't have the strength to keep going. He'd barely had it when his father had died.

Damian then frowned to himself, knowing full well why Severus was protective of his wife. His own wife, Aisa Malfoy nee Kerensky, was Janella's half-sister. And he was just as protective of her as his old friend was of his wife.

"I see," whispered Damian in a dark voice. Then he frowned and asked, "But couldn't you have taken it to a back alley or something?"

Severus laughed a little at that and Damian smiled a bit. Then he turned towards Cadian, who was standing there fuming, his hand clasped over his bruised cheek. No doubt there would be a spectacular bruise there soon as the son of Harry Snape had learned how to fight from his father. And Harry had known _damnably_ well how to fight.

"Alright then," said Damian, straightening up. He then swept his eyes over the gathered crowd and snapped, "Move on, you lot! Nothin' more to see here!"

Abruptly, he snapped out a hand and caught the woman he'd picked from the crowd and murmured, "Thank you very much, madam."

The woman blushed pink then smiled and nodded before rushing off through the dispersing crowd. Damian then turned sharply on a heel and stalked over to Cadian, striking the taller man in the face with his own wand.

Severus covered his hand to keep from laughing at the sight of the 5'8 Malfoy taking on a man built like a bull who had at least five inches on him. But Damian had the balls to do it as he and Severus had scuffled all throughout their childhood and the Snape heir had ended up having a good six and a half inches of height on his friend.

"Draw your wand again in this Alley, Parkinson, and you'll be back in the Ministry cells before you can say _Nox_!" snarled Damian with a vicious look in his brown eyes. He then jerked the blonde close as he shoved his wand into a pocket of his robes. "And if you say a threatening _word_ against Janella Snape again, I'll take you in for Muggle Threatening. I trust you know what a large offense that is."

Cadian's face purpled in anger but he nodded and growled out, "I understand, _Auror_."

"Good. Now move along."

The other blonde sneered down at Damian and drew himself up to his full height, trying to intimidate the shorter man. But the Malfoy heir looked down his nose at the taller wizard and sneered then turned and grabbed Severus' arm, dragging him off into the crowd.

The two of them ended up in the Leaky Cauldron, where they found Janella and Severus' children waiting for them. Damian's wife Aisa also sat with them, talking animatedly with her half-sister along with her children, Davion and Durundia. Davion would be joining Morgan and Anastasia at Hogwarts in a year, if Severus remembered correctly, and Durundia would be in the same year as Ulric.

Severus frowned at the fact that Janella had stayed when he had told her to go home but he should have known she would. Shaking his head, he walked over to the booth the two women and their children had appropriated and bent to kiss his wife on the cheek. She smiled and turned her head so their lips met instead, making him laugh.

Then he turned as someone came through the Floo and grinned widely as he saw his nephew stumble out of the fireplace.

"John!"

The twenty-three-year-old looked up in annoyance then a wide grin spread across his face. Casting a charm to rid his robes of soot as he walked over to them, he grabbed his uncle's extended hand in a firm grip.

"Looking good, old man," he said with a wry smile and a twinkle in his blue eyes.

Severus snorted then tugged the younger man forward into a brief hug. Then he punched him lightly in the shoulder and scoffed, "Old man! I won't be old until you can beat me in a duel, you scamp!"

"Let's have at it then!"

"Boys," admonished Janella with a glower. She then smiled and asked, "How are you, John?"

"Astounding, Aunt Jan," replied John. He then spotted his younger cousins and cried, "Scamps!"

"Hi, John!" chirped three voices and Anastasia squirmed out of her seat to go show him her new books.

"Ah! They're wonderful books, Ana, you'll love 'em."

Damian sniffed and asked, "Don't I get a 'hello,' kid?"

The Longbottom Heir looked up in surprise then grinned and grabbed the older wizard in a hug.

"Of course, Uncle Ian! And hello, Aunt Aisa!"

Aisa smiled serenely and said, "Still as rambunctious as ever, I see."

"But of course! So what are you lot doing in here? You can't be done getting Morgan stuff already, Uncle Sev!"

Severus shook his head at that.

"We still have yet to get his wand."

John affected a faux shocked look and cried, "Not gotten his _wand!_ Dear Merlin, Uncle, what on earth could have possessed you to leave the boy without a wand!"

"Cadian Parkinson," growled Damian.

John's joking manner faded then and there and a look of disdain slipping onto his features, a slight sneer twisting his lips. "Ah," he said shortly. He then looked at his uncle and asked, "What did he do?"

"Besides insult Nella? Simply drew his wand in the Alley."

"He _what!_"

Severus frowned and replied, "Insulted her. But don't worry, he didn't get away with it."

Janella looked up at her husband in alarm then asked, "Verus, what did you do?"

"Just another bruise to remember me by. Nothing more than what he earned several times in our school years."

"Arsehole," growled out John. He then yelped as Aisa and Janella both rose and slapped his arms. "Ow! What'd I do!"

"Impressionable young minds here," said Aisa, gesturing at the children. Janella nodded in agreement then moaned softly as Anastasia grinned. The girl was likely to use the word as her next insult now.

"Sorry."

"Just don't do it again," admonished Janella. She then smiled and said, "Now, why don't we go and get Mori's wand?"

"Yes!" cried the eleven-year-old. He jerked towards his father and begged, "Please, Dad, please!"

Severus chuckled and said, "Well, you can't go to Hogwarts without it. And since I do believe the trash has cleared out of the Alley, it's fine to go."

"_YAY!_"

"Mind if I join you, Uncle?" asked John, smiling sheepishly. At the curious looks from the older wizards, he mumbled, "I, er, kinda broke mine."

Damian groaned, "_Again?_ For Merlin's sake, I think Dad's right! You inherited your grandfather's clumsiness!"

"Hey, he was only clumsy because of that idiot Lockhart."

"This is true."

"Boys, boys," said Severus, slinging his arms across their shoulders. "You're giving the children bad things to look up to."

John and Damian looked around him at each other then at him.

"And you don't?" said the Longbottom Heir with an arched eyebrow.

"Answer that one honestly, now!" chirped Damian with a grin.

Severus scoffed. "Me? A bad influence? _Ha!_ Perish the thought!"

Janella shook her head and look at her half-sister, who was watching the three in amusement.

"Shall we?"

"Are we certain they'll follow?" asked Aisa as they and their children slid out of the booth.

Janella chuckled and replied, "They're our men, dear sister. Of course, they'll follow."

Laughing together, they ushered their children towards the back of the pub, Morgan dancing in place at the prospect of getting a wand.

"We're being left," said Damian suddenly as he watched the two women and five children head towards the back of the pub.

"Ah," said Severus, "then let us away, gentlemen!"

John chuckled then stretched out an arm and cried, "To the wands!" He then took off in an impression of the 'horse-riding' in _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_.

Damian and Severus looked at each other then cried, "_To the wands!_" and followed him, leaving a very confused and amused pub behind them.


	3. Beyond Death

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor anything otherwise related. I do, however, make claim on NM Harry's personality as well as those of all the other canon characters and my original chars.

_Despite sorrow and pain,_

_life moves on._

_Despite the heartache,_

_there is a world beyond._

_Beyond the death_

_of those we love,_

_there is life – for us._

_"Untitled" written by Hermione Malfoy upon the death of Harry Snape_

Chapter 3 – Beyond Death 

"NO!"

Severus chuckled as across the table Damian plunged his head into his hands.

"Sorry, old man," he said, leaning forward slightly to look at the three dice. "Looks like you missed."

"A _critical_ miss," moaned Damian as he picked up his _Zeus_ and clicked the dial. "My dice have abandoned me!"

"Well, you _have_ had them in a box for nearly three years," pointed out Severus as he shook his own dice in his right hand. "Secondary weapons on my _Dasher II_ there, firing at your _Zeus_."

"No! Dear Merlin, man, leave him alone!"

Severus chuckled and released the dice, letting them fall onto the table.

"All is fair in love and war, my friend!" he cried. "Your defense is…?"

"15," moaned Damian.

"Muaahaha. Take 3!"

"I hate you."

"Yes, I know," said Severus with a smile as Damian spun the dial on the _Zeus._

Janella entered the Ashdeir Fierion kitchen then and groaned. The two men chuckled as she said, "Don't tell me you two are at that _again!_"

"Okay," said Damian. "We won't tell you we're at it again."

"Indeed we shall not. Prepare yourself, my good man! My _Thunderbolt_ is about to maul your little peasants!"

"Bloody peasants," grumbled Damian, glaring at Severus' hand as he rolled the dice.

"Haven't you two gotten tired of that?" asked Janella as she waved Marly back to her work. "No, I've got it, Marly. Go back to work."

"Yes, Mistress," murmured the house-elf, bowing slightly.

Severus chuckled as Damian tossed a peasant off of their 'battlefield' and replied, "It's fun, Nella. You should sit down and try it sometime."

"I'll pass," said Janella around a mouthful of cereal. She then swallowed and continued, "I just don't understand how you two have played that since you were children and are still interested in it."

"S'fun game," said Damian. He then cursed as his attack on Severus' _Dasher II_ missed hitting by one point and shook his head. "Well, when you win, anyway."

Severus frowned and said, "Losing can be fun as well. As long as it was a good battle, it was a good game, win or lose."

"Point taken, Sev."

Janella shook her head then watched the two of them as she ate the cereal she'd poured, not even attempting to figure out the process of how the game worked. During that time, Severus managed to kill off Damian's _Zeus_ and all his peasants but the Malfoy Heir had come back and salvaged the _Thunderbolt_ in retaliation.

"_Ha!_ Take _that!_"

"May I remind you that I have two more 'Mech's on the field in good condition?"

"Oh, shut up, Clanner."

"Freebirth," shot Severus in retaliation.

"Falcon."

"Republic."

"Smelly green turkey!"

"Worthless savashri freeborn."

"Test-tube baby," sneered Damian as he shoved his last 'Mech, a _Vulture_, across the field.

Janella shook her head as her husband smirked.

"Lawyer."

Damian blinked then snarled, "Damnit, I hate it when you do that!"

Severus laughed at that then promptly launched an attack at the _Vulture_ with his _Dasher II_ by making a charge.

"Aaaaaand…Arnis misses! _Again!_"

"Arnis always misses on a charge," said Damian.

"No, he doesn't. He's just temperamental."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that one and maybe it'll come true."

The sound of the big fireplace on the other side of the kitchen roaring to life caused them to pause and Janella frowned.

"Uncle Sev?"

"John?" said Severus, rising from his seat to go over to the fireplace, where his nephew's head floated in the flames. "Is something wrong?" He then waved a hand, causing golden words that revealed John's location to appear above his head. "And what are you doing calling from Hogwarts?"

John winced then said, "Something's happened, Uncle Sev. Is Uncle Ian there with you?"

"Yeah, I'm here," said Damian as he joined Severus in front of the fireplace. "We were having our monthly 'Mech game. What's the problem?"

"Two Hogwarts students have gone missing. We tried to contact you, Uncle Ian, but only got static in response."

Severus winced, suddenly remembering the magicked pagers the Aurors had begun wearing a few years back when Damian's mother had figured out how to make them work. He also remembered that the rather expansive wards on the Snape estate blocked most spells from getting inside. The only people that could even get near the house or Floo into it now were those recognized by the wards.

"The wards here block it," explained Severus. "Now, who's gone missing?"

John blanched and part of Severus went cold.

"John, don't tell me…"

"Sorry, Uncle," he whispered. "It's Ana and Mori."

A crash came from behind the two men and Damian turned to see a pale Janella with her hands over her mouth, eyes wide in horror. The bowl she'd been eating out of was in shards at her feet.

"Oh, Mistress!" exclaimed Marly, cleaning up the mess with a wave of her hand. A chair at the table then moved and positioned itself behind Janella, who sank into it with a small sob.

Severus winced then looked at John.

"Move, boy. I'm coming through."

"Uncle, what…"

"If someone has my children, they will not keep them. And if they are simply on those grounds where you cannot find them, I will find them."

Severus then rose and stretched out a hand towards the open kitchen door as though he were summoning something. But he hadn't had to speak the words for simple spells since he was twelve.

A small, dingy, yellowed scroll of parchment shot through the door and into his hand first then a more recognizable object flew in. Damian's eyes widened as Ardwynhén, the Elven sword that was an heirloom of the Snape family, flew into the room in its scabbard.

Etienne Daladier, his pale blonde hair replaced by silver, followed it and frowned at his nephew.

"And where are we going?" asked the one-hundred-one-year-old wizard.

"Hogwarts," replied Severus as he slung Ardwynhén over his shoulders. He pushed up his sleeves as he added, "Ana and Mori are missing."

Silver eyebrows arched in surprise and Etienne asked, "Did someone take them?"

Severus frowned and replied, "That's what I'm going to find out, Uncle." He waved the dingy scroll and the older wizard nodded.

"Don't go after whoever it was on your own, Sev. Call me, call Saerry, call _someone_ to come help you if they really aren't there. You aren't as young as you used to be, remember?"

"Neither are _you_, Uncle."

Etienne frowned.

"I can still beat you over my knee, whelp. Now go. I'll hold down the fort here."

Severus nodded then looked at Damian, who was also frowning.

The blonde then said, "I'm coming with you."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Go then," said Etienne, waving his hands at them. The two men nodded then Damian hurled a handful of Floo power into the now empty fireplace.

"Headmistress' Office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Pass code: Damian Aleksandr Malfoy!"

The flames roared green and he stepped into them, vanishing an instant later. Severus waited a moment then hurled his own handful of Floo power in.

"Headmistress' Office, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Pass code: Severus Jardin Snape!"

He looked once at Janella, who was now staring straight at him with Etienne's arm around her shoulders.

"Find them," she mouthed and he nodded.

Then he stepped into the fireplace and was whisked away to Hogwarts, coming stumbling out of the fireplace in the Headmistress' office. He cursed foully as he nearly tripped and brushed ineffectively at the soot on his clothes.

Damian caught his arm and muttered, "Easy, Sev," even as he continued to curse.

"I now remember why I despise the Floo," snarled Severus as he finally spelled the soot from his shirt and pants. Then he looked over at the Headmistress, who stood behind her son. "Hello, Aunt Mione."

"You're looking well, Severus," said Hermione Malfoy, smiling slightly. Severus didn't even bother to attempt to return the smile. "You brought Ardwynhén?"

Severus nodded slightly.

"If I find my children are actually missing and not just hiding somewhere, I'm going after the bastard that took them. And he's going to pay in blood for touching them."

The green cat's eye gem set in the hilt of the sword flashed at that and Hermione remembered when Harry had wielded it during the war. Severus didn't have his father's training but he did know how to handle a sword.

"Go then," she said, waving towards the door of her office. Seeing the Marauder's Map tucked into his belt, she asked, "You do know how to change the floor views on that without having to walk them, don't you?"

Severus nodded shortly and replied, "Yes." He then moved past her and left the office, his steps echoing back up to them. Damian stayed for a moment and frowned at his mother.

"Do you really believe Ana and Mori aren't here, Mother?" he asked.

Hermione sighed and looked at her son, worry clearly showing in her eyes.

"I know when my students aren't here, Ian. It's an advantage of being Headmistress. And they _aren't_ here."

"Severus will kill whoever took them."

"I know."

"And he won't feel a shred of remorse."

Hermione nodded, murmured, "I know. And I blame that war. That damned war that we all fought."

Damian frowned and hugged her briefly before saying, "I'm going to help him."

"I know."

He smiled and kissed her forehead then left the office, nearly running to catch up with Severus. The other wizard was standing in the center of the entrance hall, a scowl on his face and the Marauder's Map clutched in his hands. As Damian approached, he waved his hand over the map then muttered, "Mischief managed," and stuff it back into his belt.

"They're not here," he growled as the Malfoy Heir came to stand beside him.

"I figured," said Damian. "Who do you think took them?"

Severus turned his scowl on him and spat, "Who do you _think_ has them?"

"Surely…surely Parkinson's not _that_ stupid!"

"He's not as brilliant as he seems," grumbled Severus. "You didn't have to room with the bastard."

Damian frowned.

"Point taken. But we need real proof that he has Ana and Mori before we go after them, Sev. These aren't our father's times. Going running off half cocked and ending up doing something wrong can get us thrown in Azkaban."

"I _know_ that," snarled Severus as John and two Aurors entered the hall. "Oh, do tell me you found something."

"Nothing, sir," said one of the Aurors with a shake of his head. "There's nothing that gives any hint of where they went."

"Or were taken," added his partner.

Severus' scowl deepened.

Suddenly a first year clutching a piece of parchment ran into the room, skidding to a frightened stop as Severus' dark scowl fixed upon him. Then he shuffled forward a few steps and stammered, "Um…a-are you M-M-Morgan's f-father?"

"Yes," replied Severus. His eyes then latched onto the piece of parchment and he asked, "What's that?"

"A n-note, s-sir. I f-found it in his b-bed."

The first year held out the parchment and Severus did his best to not snatch it from the eleven-year-old's hand. He scanned it quickly then cursed, ignoring Damian as he glared at him for saying such things in front of a child.

"Thank you…"

"Ed," offered the boy. He then looked nervously up at Severus and asked, "Is he going to be okay?"

Severus smiled and ruffled the first year's blonde hair, saying, "He'll be fine, Ed. And thank you. This will help us find Morgan much faster."

Ed's face lit up at that and he cried, "That's great! Um…I'd better go now. Good luck, sir!"

"Be careful," murmured Severus as the first year ran off. He then looked down at the parchment again before handing it off to Damian. "Is _this_ proof enough to go after that bastard?"

Damian frowned and scanned it, his expression growing fouler as he did so. Then he cursed and snarled, "Damn right it is! John, call in more Auror's and meet us at Parkinson Lodge."

"You two are going alone?"

"Not alone," said Severus, eyes gleaming viciously. "_First_."

He then scowled and snarled, "That bastard will pay for laying a hand on my children."

With that he and Damian stalked out of the entrance hall, leaving John and the two Auror's standing there. Once the realization that they were really going at that very moment set in, the three ran after them, their wands out so they could Apparate back to the Ministry the moment they had the ability.

And John knew he had to hurry.

Or his uncle would kill everything in that house and probably die trying before an Auror had even stepped onto the doorstep.

Author's Notes 

The whole MechWarrior part in the beginning is based from playing and from an amusing conversation a fellow player once told me about. Also a piece of the argument between Sev and Ian is taken from arguments between myself, that fellow player, and his girlfriend. She's responsible for the test-tube baby comment, which occurred after myself and her boyfriend threw 'freebirth' at her.

I had much fun writing that. And, yeah, there have been arguments like that during games and regular conversation.

Also, to anyone who's actually played MW that's reading this (I seriously doubt it but, hey, I could be wrong), I didn't check any stats on any 'Mech's whilst I wrote this so any defenses and attacks listed could be wrong. And, yes, to anyone that's actually playing 'Mech, Severus is playing Spirit Cat (Arnis Drummond in his _Dasher II_ and Youree Nova Cat in his _Thunderbolt_) and Damian is playing House Davion (_Zeus_) with a random _Vulture_ thrown in. I myself play Spirit Cat and I own the Davion _Zeus_, so I thought I'd put them into play.


	4. There is Life

**athenakitty:** He's only the last pest for now, unfortunately… More will spring up in the final sequel.

**JeanieBeanie33:** No one's really certain about the identity of Cadian's father. Definitely not Draco though – I'm of the opinion it's a distant cousin since Lucius was dead by that time as well. Hermione would beat Drake black and blue if he cheated on her and he knows it – he also didn't follow in his father's footsteps because of her so betraying her like that would be offensive to him. Also, a continuation of canon NM will not occur. I just don't see how I could manage to twist the events of Half-Blood Prince to fit the plot of NM. With the canon rewrite's I still followed the basic pieces of the plot and certain events in OOTP and HBP would severely change the story if left out or changed. The AU version of NM, however, is still in progress and likely won't follow any canon or NM plotline. It'll stand all on it's own two feet.

**Tsusetsu:** Well, Janella is a Muggle. And with Harry, Niamh, and Hermione all having a connection to the Muggle world, some references and such would leak through. Also there was the war, which would have likely caused some hiding out within the Muggle world or disguising one's self as a Muggle for a short period of time. It wasn't all a massive, all-out brawl like we see in _Haunted_; that was just the last battle. Before that there was a subtlety of some sort for a while. Eventually, I may write out a bit of the war's occurrences. But that won't be for a while if I decide to do that.

**Tixxana:** Glad I could brighten your day! And it will, unfortunately, get even more confusing in the final sequel _To Live Again_. An entire new cast will come forth for that one. Though there will be a few familiar guest appearances. And Ed is a cutie, isn't he? snuggles him

**Angel the Devil's Daughter:** Here is the continuation! And the end.

**cronenus:** I hope you do enjoy this one!

**- - -**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter nor anything otherwise related. I do, however, make claim on NM Harry's personality as well as those of all the other canon characters and my original chars.

_Despite sorrow and pain,_

_life moves on._

_Despite the heartache,_

_there is a world beyond._

_Beyond the death_

_of those we love,_

_there is life – for us._

_"Untitled" written by Hermione Malfoy upon the death of Harry Snape_

**Chapter 4 – There is Life**

"My Dad's gonna curse you into bloody oblivion!" shouted Anastasia, her dark blue eyes flashing. Beside her, Morgan glared venomously over the gag in his mouth up at Cadian Parkinson, who stood over them with a smirk on his face.

The two youth's were lashed to chairs in a parlor of Parkinson Lodge, which looked like it hadn't been used in a good twenty years. Parkinson has just finished tying Anastasia up and proceeded to shove a gag into her mouth, tying it behind her head.

"Shut up, you little brat," he snarled, his watery green eyes darkening. "Your precious father has no idea you're missing and by the time he figures out you're gone, you and your brother here will be long dead."

The twelve-year-old's eyes widened and darted towards her brother, who had paled several shades. Parkinson smirked and stood to leave the room, pausing at the door to call something over his shoulder.

"Say hello to your grandmother for me. And tell her that the one that made the poison that killed her is going to kill what's left of her precious family."

The door slammed shut behind him with a muffled thump as tears welled up in Anastasia's eyes. She looked over at her younger brother and found tears in his eyes as well. They both knew of how their grandmother had died and to think that they were going to be killed by the same man unless a miracle happened was almost unbearable.

Morgan shifted a bit in his chair so he could lean his head slightly on her shoulder and Anastasia felt his hot tears begin to soak into her sleeve.

She leaned back her head and closed her eyes, hoping that their father would make it.

---

Severus appeared on the outskirts of the property that Parkinson Lodge sat upon and took a step forward, reaching out his right hand. His fingertips tingled as he touched the wards that surrounded the property and he closed his eyes as he reached out with his magic and explored the wards.

During his school years, it had been discovered that he had a little bit of his great-grandmother's gift. Shalay Hart had been able to "speak" to wards and a small portion of that gift had been passed on to him. He couldn't dispel them or change them like she could but he could sift through them and discover exactly how to make them fall. The skill had been a menace at Hogwarts – he'd once managed to bring down the weaker bits of the school's wards on accident and had nearly killed himself – and had turned into a precious skill during the war. Often he'd been sent forward with a scouting team to an enemy hideout and would sift through their wards, hunting down its weaknesses. It was because of him that so many of their hideouts and fortresses had fallen.

Now he used that skill to find the weak link in the Lodge wards that would allow them entry onto the grounds. Like most home's of the old wizard families, the wards on the property were tied to those they recognized as friends or blood relations.

His brows furrowed as he delved deeper into the wards, brushing aside pieces of their magic to hunt down his prey.

"What's he doing?" asked one of the two Auror's that had followed John as they appeared.

"Trying to find a weak link in the wards so we can bring them down in seconds rather than hours," replied Damian. "It generally only takes a few moments."

The other Auror blinked.

"He can do that?"

"He once brought down part of the wards at Hogwarts," said John, his eyes on his uncle's back. "Nearly killed himself doing it but he did. And as Aunt Hermione confessed to me, it wasn't because the wards were weak."

Damian smirked at that.

"So he really is that powerful," he murmured. Then he asked, "Find it?" as Severus' entire body shook violently.

"Yeah," snarled the dark-haired man in response. "The wards haven't been kept up like they should have, so they're a bit weak in a certain spot. It'll take all of us going at it at once but I think we can bring it down without more help."

"You're certain, Uncle?" said John, taking a step forward to eye the empty air in front of Severus critically. He couldn't see the wards himself but he could sense them tingling on the very edge of his senses.

Severus nodded sharply and drew his wand, snapping it out in a straight line at the blank air. He then said, "John, Ian, it'll have to be just us that does this."

"An Elven spell, Uncle?"

"Yes."

Damian frowned at that and began, "Sev, I know I'm distantly from that bloodline but…"

"The power is still in you, Ian. Just repeat after me and it'll do the work on it's own."

"Okay. But if this doesn't work, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Worrywart," shot John before he turned to the two Auror's. "Perkins, call for some backup – we may need it if any of Parkinson's goons are lurking in the Lodge. Slate, keep an eye out for us."

The two Auror's nodded and snapped, "Yes, sir!" sharply before setting to their appointing tasks. John then drew his wand and looked curiously at his uncle.

Severus frowned and said, "Point your wands at exactly the same spot as I am and repeat after me one line at a time."

"So basically the line gets said three times?" inquired Damian as he adjusted his wand's position.

"Three's an important magical number. The repeating will help the spell build and work quicker. Ian, you say it first then John." He then looked at the two men who stood on either side of him, their shoulders nearly touching his and asked, "Ready?"

"Ready," replied John, eyes dark.

Damian just nodded in response and Severus took a breath before he spoke.

"Chall graf jarall durban labr ta ar dan!"

"Chall graf jarall durban labr ta ar dan!" cried Damian, speaking carefully to make sure he got all the words right.

"Chall graf jarall durban labr ta ar dan!" nearly shouted John, the foreign words coming out of his mouth as easily as they did his uncle's.

Perkins and Slate both paused and stared at the three men as their voices rose with each line they spoke in concordance. They both felt the power as it swelled with the words as well and took nervous steps back away from the three wizards.

"Chall graf lob kadurr labr urshfel gaff tailal!"

"Chall graf lob yyfphen labr ishtalk ar maith tar cha jith!"

"Leth ar wurphain ret jarall urshfelan kaidain ret queral labr tai re tith!"

"Ler gree phurtel ost Phaarvaith Ardwithen, cha curben orstael!"

The gathered power exploded forth with a vaguely audible _snap_ and washed into the wards, causing them to shudder and actually appear for a brief second. Severus smirked and sheathed his wand just as the dome of the wards reappeared in a slightly red haze then crumbled into nothingness from the center in a matter of seconds.

"Whoa," murmured Slate as he watched the wards fall.

Perkins glared briefly at him then snapped, "Reinforcements will arrive within fifteen minutes, sir!"

"Good," said John. He then noticed Severus walking forward with Damian following him and shouted, "Uncle!"

"I'm not waiting!" snapped the older wizard over his shoulder. He moved on with long, sharp strides, Damian following swiftly in his steps.

John cursed and snarled at Perkins, "Call up Headquarters again. I want those reinforcements here _now!_"

_Damnit, Uncle, don't do anything stupid!_ he thought furiously as he whirled back around as Perkins made contact with Auror Headquarters again.

---

"How many?" whispered Severus to Damian as they crouched behind an overgrown gazebo just outside one of the doors that led into the Lodge. Spread out on the grounds in front of the door were Parkinson's goons, trying to hide rather pitifully in the slowly turning dusk.

"Five that I recognize," replied Damian as he sank back down beside his younger wizard. "Six more that I don't."

"And always the chance that he has some that actually know how to hide," said Severus with a smirk. He then shifted slightly and grimaced. "Damn, I hate old wounds."

Damian frowned then poked his head back up when he heard the door open. He heard leaves rustle and then a low snarl issued forth from Severus' position as Parkinson appeared. A smirk was plastered superiorly across his narrow face and Damian wished dearly that he knew what idiot relative of his had sired the bastard because he was surely of Malfoy blood. He'd hex the idiot into oblivion for siring him then abandoning him to Pansy Parkinson's tender mercies.

"Easy, Sev," he murmured, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder. He then noticed him pulling something out of his pocket and blinked. "An Extendable Ear? You still have that?"

"It's useful," said Severus, pointing his wand at one end of the Ear. It writhed slightly and slithered forward through the underbrush, finally coming to rest a matter of inches from Parkinson's foot. He then pointed his wand at the other end of the Ear and it split into two halves so they both could listen.

Damian snorted as he placed the end within his ear and muttered, "I've never understood how you got so good at changing these things."

"Twins taught Da," replied Severus as he placed his end in his ear.

Parkinson's voice was staticy for a moment then leveled out, allowing them to listen clearly to what he was saying.

"…everything set up, boys?"

"Yeah," replied Alexander Nott, the great-nephew of the Death Eater Nott. "Dunno why you wanted all the bloody Muggle shite though."

"Because the Auror's will just blow it off when they find out no magic was used to kill the brat's or to tie them up. And it'll be fun to watch the place go up in an explosion," replied Parkinson. He then looked around and continued, "Now clean up and make sure there's not a trace of us left. Trapp, you get what I wanted?"

A short, mousy looking man with thin blonde hair stepped forward and held out a sealed envelope. Parkinson took it and slipped it into his cloak, asking, "You're certain it went through?"

"Yes, sir," replied Trapp. "Parkinson Lodge is now the sole property of one Damian Malfoy."

"What the bloody hell?" breathed Damian. He looked in shock at Severus, who had turned nearly black in rage. "Did I just hear what I thought I heard?"

"Yeah," replied Severus in a growl. "They're trying to pin the blame for Ana and Mori's death on you. That _kaidurf!_"

"So those hairs I pinched off him in the Alley worked like a charm," said Parkinson with a smirk. "Too bad I couldn't get any off Snape. It'd be so beautiful for him to get the blame for the deaths of his own children. I suppose seeing the Malfoy Heir get it will have to do."

Severus snarled and reached a hand up over his shoulder to grip Ardwynhén's hilt. The cat's-eye in the pommel gleamed as part of the blade came free of the sheath and green fire writhed forth from within it.

"I'll kill him," he snarled, blue-green eyes darkening.

"Wait for John and the Auror's," hissed Damian, grabbing Severus' arm. "Please, Sev."

"He has _explosives_, Ian. _Explosives._ He can press a button and kill Ana and Mori." He shook his head and hissed, "You _know_ what explosives can do. We used them during the war when we had to, when there was no other choice."

Damian looked at him for a long moment then spoke.

"This isn't the war, Sev."

"I _know_ that! But, Merlin's beard, man, he has my _children_!"

"Alright, boys," they heard Parkinson say then, "let's move out."

Severus spat, "The Auror's will never get here in time. We have to go _now_, Ian! Or he'll get away!"

"Fine," hissed Damian. "But don't kill anyone, Sev. Ana, Mori, Ric, and Jan don't need you in Azkaban."

"I know."

Severus tapped the Extendable Ear and shoved it back into his pocket, resheathing his wand. He then sprang up and rushed forward, loosing Ardwynhén from her sheath as he ran. The sword practically sang as it was unsheathed for the first time since the final battle of the war and the emerald flames that wreathed its blade blazed brightly.

Nott turned at the sound of running feet and let out a girlish shriek of fear at the sight of an enraged Severus Snape charging at him with a sword made famous by his father in hand. He fainted and Severus leapt over him with a grace that shocked Damian, who came charging into the fray after him with his wand in hand.

He was two years older than Severus and hadn't earned as many scars over the years but he still couldn't move that quickly.

"_PARKINSON!_" bellowed Severus as he swept between two of the goons, striking one full in the face with Ardwynhén's pommel. The other earned the flat of the sword's blade and both went down in moaning heaps.

Parkinson turned and paled to a pasty shade as he saw the dark wizard charging at him with murder in his eyes. He then whipped out a small device and yelled, "A step closer, Snape, and I'll kill us all!"

Severus skidded to a stop, Ardwynhén swinging down to point her tip at the ground between his feet, and glowered at the blonde man.

"You don't have the nerve."

"Really?" said Parkinson, a mad gleam in his eyes. "Tempt me, Snape. Really, I dare you. I'm not afraid of dying anymore so long as I get to take part of your worthless family with me!"

"Have me then," said Severus. "Leave my children and family alone and do what you will with me! I'm the one you want, Cadian!"

A high, piercing cackle rang across the Lodge estate and Damian shuddered as it brought forth memories of "Uncle" Mika telling tales of Voldemort. It had the same type of madness in it that Mika had always described within the Dark Lord's.

"Wrong, Snape! I want your entire pitiful family dead!" He then grinned ferally and purred, "I've already taken care of two of them."

Severus' eyes narrowed and he spat, "What are you talking about?"

Parkinson smirked and a sinking feeling welled up within Damian's stomach. He had the feeling something was about to be revealed that would drive Severus over the edge. Frowning at his friend's back, he slowly crept backwards towards the Lodge, waiting until he got within the thick brush that surrounded the building before breaking into a run.

Hopefully he could get Ana and Mori out before Parkinson set off the explosives riddled about the place. If not…he hoped Severus killed the bastard before they went off.

" 'What am I talking about?' " said Parkinson mockingly, giggling slightly. He then fixed mad eyes on Severus' and cheerfully cried, "Why your parents, of course, dear Severus!"

Surprise flicked across the eldest remaining Snape's face then black rage brushed it aside.

"_What?_"

"Your parents! Your dear, dear mother was the first to go. Oh, how Mother was pleased to hear me describe how that poison would kill her!" He grinned and added, "It was even more delicious to hear later that she'd died in her own husband's arms!"

Severus' eyes narrowed to angry slits and anyone that could see within them would almost swear that the blackness of the Tethdaìr, the Elven warriors of whom his father had been amongst, flickered at the edge of his eyes. But such a thing was impossible…

Silence spread across the space between the two men, both Slytherin's and survivors of a war that had killed many, for what seemed an eternity.

Then a cold, dark voice so unlike his own came from Severus' mouth.

"_You_ made the poison."

"Yes," purred Parkinson. "Which in turn end up killing your father. Couldn't survive long without his precious Mudblood bitch, could he?" He smirked. "Mother knew _exactly_ where to hit him."

"What wrong, Snape?" he called after Severus' eyes dipped down to stare at the ground. "Kneazle got your tongue?"

"No," growled Severus. He looked up then and Parkinson took a step back, fear showing in his eyes for the first time.

Blue-green eyes had been completely overrun by black and even the idiots who'd been on the other side during the war had known that the man who's eyes changed to black during battle was not to be trifled with.

"I-it's not possible," stammered Parkinson. "O-only your father's eyes changed!"

"News flash, Parky," snarled Severus, lifting Ardwynhén to bear again. "Piss off anyone with the blood of the Tethdaìr in their veins enough and you'll cause it to come to life. And guess what you just did?"

The blonde took another step back and shouted fearfully, "_It's not possible!_"

Severus snarled and took a step forward, black eyes gleaming. Ardwynhén blazed brighter than ever in his hands, as though she knew that one who had killed two members of the family she was bound to was within reach of her blade.

Parkinson held up a trembling hand and bellowed, "I'll do it, Snape! One push and we're all _dead!_"

"I'll slice your hand from your body before it gets a chance to push it a millimeter," spat Severus as he took another step forward.

The goons behind Parkinson scattered as he came forward a step more and anyone that had ever stood before Harry Snape or his father Severus knew the exact reason why. Harry had been truly frightening when his eyes had changed, especially after he got a real taste for blood during the war. But the elder Severus had been truly terrifying. Alastor Moody had, years after Severus' death, discovered and viewed the memories of a Death Eater that had been present during the rescue of Amadeus Sedwick. It was one of Severus' darkest moments.

To say that anyone that had seen those memories hadn't wondered about his true allegiance would be a lie.

And Severus, at the moment, looked far more like his grandfather than his father.

Parkinson screamed at the fleeing goons to come back then turned about to find Severus a mere ten feet away from him. He scrambled back in fear, shrieking in fright, and ended up tripping over a partially raised root. As if in defense of himself, he lifted the hand that held the detonator.

Severus' eyes gleamed as he swung Ardwynhén in a smooth arch and cleanly severed the blonde's wrist. But not before Parkinson's thumb pressed down on the button.

The explosion sent both of them head over heels into the underbrush and Severus scrambled out of it as quickly as he'd went in. He screamed wordlessly in rage at the smoldering ruins, tears flowing from his eyes freely.

Then he spun and caught the edge of Parkinson's singed cloak as the bleeding wretch tried to fleeing. He flung him violently to the ground and swung Ardwynhén, driving her flaming blade relentlessly into his shoulder. Parkinson screamed as the blade, which was searing hot because of the flames that wreathed it, pierced his body and pinned him to the ground.

"_Fier dar!_" shouted Severus as he ripped the sword out then promptly cleaved Parkinson's head from his shoulders. He then flung Ardwynhén away from him and collapsed onto the ground beside the body, harsh sobs wracking his body.

Never again would he hear Ana's laugh or watch Mori wrestle playfully with Ric. Nor would he see them grow up and have families – and children – of their own. They were gone.

Two of his most precious possessions…gone…within the blink of an eye.

How could he live with himself or even look at Ric or Janella again knowing he'd failed his eldest children?

"Why?" he gasped into the ground, digging his trembling fingers into the loose dirt. "_Why, damnit, why!_"

He lay there was what seemed the longest time then sat upright, fingers searching out Ardwynhén's hilt as the trees nearby rustled. As he spun towards the intruder with angry tears in his eyes he heard a sound that made all anger melt away.

"Daddy?"

"_Lai Istveil_…" he breathed as he saw his daughter's crimson locks appear out of the tree line. "ANA!"

"DADDY!"

Severus collapsed to his knees, Ardwynhén dropping from suddenly nerveless fingers. His daughter's small body slammed against his then and he clutched her against him, burying his face in her hair. She sobbed into his chest, her hands fisted in his shirt as her tears spattered onto it.

Another small body impacted against his and he unwounded one arm from Anastasia to run his fingers through Morgan's mass of wild hair. He then pulled the eleven-year-old solidly against his side and silently thanked any entity listening for not taking his children from him.

"I got them out, Sev," he just barely heard Damian whisper. "Nearly didn't make it. Sorry it took so long."

"I could wait forever to know they were safe," whispered Severus, barely looking up at his friend. He felt as though if he moved an inch away from his children they would truly disappear. "Parkinson's dead."

"I noticed."

"Where's John?"

"No idea. The Auror's are all over the Lodge though, sifting through the debris to make sure there wasn't anyone else inside." Severus practically felt Damian's shudder. "I hope there wasn't."

Severus just nodded then looked down at Anastasia as she tugged at his shirt.

"What is it, Ana?"

"C-can we go h-home?" she asked in a teary voice. "Please, Daddy…"

Severus cut her off with a peck on the forehead and whispered, "I'll go anywhere you want, sweetheart. I'm just so glad you both are okay. I don't know what I would have done if you'd really…really been…"

He found he couldn't finish his sentence and both of his children hugged him tightly, sending a feeling of warmth and relief rushing through him.

As he struggled to his feet still holding onto them, Morgan mumbled, "That man…he said he killed Grandmother."

Anastasia nodded and Severus frowned, silently cursing Parkinson in every language he knew.

"He did," whispered Severus, closing his eyes as he remembered the pain of finding out about his mother's death. "But he's not going to hurt anyone else. _Ever._"

"I can see that," said John as he Apparated beside Damian, catching immediate sight of Parkinson's body. "Uncle, I take it…"

"My work? Yes."

Damian frowned and asked, "Will there be charges, John?"

The younger wizard frowned thoughtfully then shook his head, replying, "With the circumstances, I doubt it. What with him kidnapping Ana and Mori and trying to pin the blame for their death's on you, Uncle Ian. We just got recent news that Parkinson Lodge was transferred to your name."

"Yes, I know. I'll make sure it gets sold." He smiled slightly and added, "Forever will be too long to see this property again."

"I hear that," said John. He then turned towards Severus and continued, "Take them home, Uncle. We'll deal with everything here."

Severus nodded and clutched his children close as he Apparated back to their home, leaving Damian and John standing alone beside the body. The blonde kicked Parkinson's booted foot and snarled, "Bloody git."

"I'd have used stronger words but alright," said John as he bent to pick up Ardwynhén. The blade had become a simple blade the moment it had hit the ground but the moment it sensed the Snape blood in his veins it blazed back into argent light. He eyed it appreciatively then transfigured a surviving blade of grass into a sheath, sliding the blade into it. "I'll return this later. I think Uncle Sev and Aunt Nella need some time alone right now."

"I'll agree with that." Damian then noticed an Auror heading towards them and asked, "Need a hand cleaning up?"

"Shouldn't you go tell Aunt Mione that the kids are okay?"

"She made what your Auror's use to communicate. Do you really think she didn't keep one of her own?"

John chuckled in response and said, "Yeah, I could use a hand."

"Good. Let's get to work then."

---

"Oh, God bless!" cried Janella as Anastasia ran into the kitchen, her crimson locks strewn with leaves and bits of debris. Morgan wasn't far behind her and both children ran into their mother's arms as one.

"_Mommy!_"

"My babies! You're alright! Thank God, you're alright!"

"Merlin bless, lad," swore Etienne as Severus entered the kitchen. He pulled the younger man into a bear hug then held his shoulders to inspect him with critical black eyes. "You look like Hell."

"I feel like Heaven though," said Severus with a small smile. He looked over at his sobbing wife and two children and added, "They're safe and that's all that matters to me."

"I as well." Black eyes narrowed then and Etienne growled, "Parkinson?"

"Dead."

"Good. And do tell me you had backup."

Severus smirked.

"It was late, Uncle."

"Ah. Auror's?"

"Slow as ever."

"Humphf."

"Daddy!" shouted Ulric as he ran from hugging his siblings to greet his father. Severus bent and caught his youngest child, swinging him up into a warm hug.

"Hello, Ric," he whispered. "Did you take care of Uncle Eti and Mommy whilst I was gone?"

Ulric nodded, a serious look on his face then he leaned forward and hugged his father's neck, a tremor running through his small body. Severus smiled at his son's brave front then walked over to his wife, who looked up from over Anastasia and Morgan's heads at him.

Her eyes were red and puffy with tears but they shone brighter than ever. And despite the face that her generally sleek hair was matted from her having likely run her fingers frantically through it a hundred times whilst awaiting his return, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"I love you," she mouthed to him before turned her face back towards their eldest children.

Severus smiled as he sank to his knees behind Anastasia and Morgan, setting Ulric down so he could wrap his arms around all of them.

"I love all of you," he whispered to them as he kissed Janella softly. "And I'll never let anything happen to you."

Etienne smiled at what remained of his family and slowly crept out of the kitchen, leaving them to their reunion. He walked slowly down the hall to what was Severus' study and had been Harry's before and entered.

For a long moment he stood looking up at the portrait of his half-nephew then smiled.

"They're safe," he whispered to the green-eyed wizard and his Muggleborn wife, hoping they could hear him. "Both of your grandchildren safely back home. And I know you both would be proud of Severus. I just hope you both are watching him."

He looked at the painting for another moment then turned to leave, walking with slow steps. Then he paused in the doorway when he felt a presence slide past him.

_We are_, he heard Harry whisper in his ear. _So very proud…_

_Nothing else will bother them_, said Niamh. _Or the family._

Etienne sighed gratefully at that then froze as his elder brother's voice hit his ears.

_Take care of them, Eti_, Severus whispered. He then chuckled and added, _I promise I'll take every harm done to them out of your hide if you don't._

"I'll hold you to that, brother mine," breathed Etienne as a woman's voice he didn't recognize said, _Oh don't listen to him. He's nothing but a big softie… But you'd know that best._

_Hush, Mum,_ admonished Harry. _We have to go now, Uncle. But we'll be here._

_Always_, said Niamh, a smile evident in her voice.

_For every Snape that lives, we will watch,_ said the other female voice, which Etienne concluded to be Harry's mother Lily.

Goodbye, little brother.

"Goodbye," whispered Etienne as he felt the presences fade. He turned and looked at the family portrait again and smiled.

"Until we meet again."

**Elven Translations**

_Severus' ward dispelling spell:_

Bring down these walls that keep us out!

Bring down this shield that protects those within!

Bring down this barrier that withholds us from what we seek!

Give us entrance to these protected grounds to retrieve that which is ours!

In the name of Pharvith Ardwith, we compel thee!

_kaidurf:_ bastard

_Fier dar:_ You die!

_Lai Istveil:_ By Heaven

**Author's Notes**

Me thinks the ending was sappy. But…sniff…I'm really a hopeless romantic at heart.

Aaaaaand…so ends World Beyond. Now, with it, the story of the Snape children is finished and I can move on to _To Live Again_. Which will be the last Not Myself sequel if I have anything to do with it.

**Atra:** Who says you have anything to do with it?

**Mel:** She's the AUTHOR, you idiot.

**Bryv:** Exactly.

**Saer:** Stupid little man.

**Atra:** Always picking on me, the lot of you!

It's only 'cause we love you, Atra. Anyway, 'bye for now, guys! Chapters of _Anything But Ordinary_ (no NM relation, entirely AU) may start getting uploaded soon, so there's something to look forward to. Dunno when work on _To Live Again_ will begin but I'll be sure to keep you folks updated.

Till next time I write!


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